Once Upon A Time
by Josriel
Summary: Fortune and misfortune, such a fine line. Caroline thought she was lucky enough to be brought here living with the Originals after her parents' death, yet years later, it turned out to be the worst thing in her immortal life. She could not run from her own heart, her own fate, despite of how desperate she wanted to leave this man, Niklaus. Just as he would say, love is a weakness.
1. In My Place

_Disclaimer: All the Vampire Diaries related characters, places and themes do not belong to me._

* * *

**Chapter One || In My Place**

_How long must you wait for it? How long must you pay for it? I was scared, tired and under-prepared, but I'll wait for it._

* * *

**- Part I : Her Affection**

_And thou shalt know of things unknown,_  
_If thou wilt let me rest between_  
_The veiny lids, whose fringe is thrown_  
_Over thine eyes so dark and sheen:_  
_And half in hope, and half in fright,_  
_The Lady closed her eyes so bright._

"What are you staring at?" A young girl's voice sounded from the back of the blonde all of a sudden, causing a shiver running down her spine.

"For God's sake, Bekah. Would you stop doing such thing again?" Caroline shot a rather mild glare at the other girl, heaved a quite frustrated sigh. She had been standing here inside her cottage for a while now, secretly peeking at the one boy she had admired ever since the first time he came into sight. And just when she thought no one would ever find out about this, her best friend had to catch her right on time.

"What is it?" Rebekah followed her gaze only to see a few village boys were cutting firewood with their robes off, and among those random neighbours, there was her elder brother Niklaus as well. "What is it you are looking at, Care?" The girl seemed quite determined to have her curiosity satisfied. "Is there something wrong with those boys?"

But Caroline only shook her head slightly before putting on a fake smile. She was not ready to tell anyone about this yet, and by anyone obviously included her best friend as well.

"Is this about Nik?" Rebekah broke the silence since the other blonde wouldn't share that little secret with her. Noticing the utterly shocked look in those bright green eyes of Caroline's, the girl shot a quick glance at her brother through the open door, then rest her gaze back on her girl friend again. "Are you seriously planning to keep this all to yourself? You couldn't even tell _me_?" She had tried her best not to sound disappointed or hurt, but that would take much more efforts than she could ever manage. Rebekah reached out for the other blonde's hand, her voice became softer as she spoke again. "I'm not blind, Care. We've spent every single day together for almost five years now. You honestly think I couldn't tell how much you fancy him?"

Caroline's lips parted for a moment, but nothing escaped her mouth. She had so many things she wanted to say, yet there was not a clue where to start. Could she tell her she had a crush on her brother even before they became friends? Could she tell her that six out of ten times that she dragged her out for a meaningless walk was actually because she wanted her brother's attention? Or, could she even say that deep down she had planned a whole future being her brother's wife? That would only sound utterly ridiculous. Even her own inner self would mock at her for it. What if the truth would only cost her a dear friend?

"Fine. I understand." Rebekah faked a wry smile as she let go the other girl's hand without a scratch. She wouldn't say she was angry at such response, but surely, disappointment would find its right place inside her fragile heart. "Everyone shall have her own secret. It's utterly understandable."

"No, Bekah, I was not… I just…" Caroline panicked seeing the hurt look in the other girl's eyes. She never wanted this; her intention was never to hurt anyone's feelings, especially when that certain someone meant the whole world to her. As a matter of fact, she was a few months older than Rebekah, even though that seemed to be nothing important, Caroline had sworn to herself that she would always be there to support and protect the younger blonde as her little sister, no one would ever have the chance to make the girl upset. No one.

She put her hands back on the younger girl's once again, both of them looked deeply into each other's eyes. "I wasn't sure how to put those words. You might find them quite intimidating or stupid or… anything negative, and then you might consider me as a freak and leave."

"A freak?" Rebekah repeated her exact words in disbelief and amusement. "How could _love_ ever be considered as a disadvantage?" She let out a rather amused chuckle while shaking her head slightly. "Is that what you've been worrying about this whole time? That I would judge you for your true feelings?" Rebekah bit her lower lips so bloody hard that it almost bled, yet she still could barely keep the smile off of her face. "Honestly, Care? You honestly think that low of me?"

"It's not that simple –" Protested the elder blonde.

"It surely is. You are my best friend, and you fancy my brother. Simple as that." Rebekah turned her smile into a rather warm one. "I don't quite see the contradiction here, Care."

As Caroline took a moment to consider those words, she only realized how true her friend was. Despite every possible feeling she had for that boy, it wouldn't affect her friendship with his sister the least, if they both agreed to be rational. How come she never thought of it herself before?

Caroline stared at the girl in front, her mind wandering back to the first time she was brought to this village. Life had been so hard on her, since her father was always away fighting wars out of some reasons she never understood, and her mother, her mother was independent and strong, perhaps the only reason why she had lived a rather blissful childhood. But everything changed tremendously when a bunch of barbarians came to their village and slaughtered almost everyone. She was lucky to be away in the woods washing their clothes by the river. And by the time she came back, everything and everyone was in ruins. Both her parents were no exception.

Fortunately for her, Mikael, the man that had been fighting shoulder to shoulder with her father, was willing to take responsibility for her in a reliable manner. She had nowhere else to go; no one else to turn to; life did not leave her much of a choice. As Caroline started on her journey along with the grumpy elder, she couldn't help but feel a little uncertain and anxious about what would be waiting for her. Back then, she had never thought that simple decision would entirely change her normal life years later.

Niklaus was the first one that came into her sight when she stepped out of the carriage. Not that he had come up to meet her; he was just the most conspicuous boy among the large crowd. At least to her, he was.

Yet he never even looked in her direction, for the last five whole years. All he would care about was a certain lady with the most beautiful name and most elegant figure.

Tatiana Petrova.

* * *

**- Part II : His Frustration**

_There is regret, almost remorse,_  
_For Time long past._  
'_Tis like a child's beloved corse_  
_A father watches, till at last_  
_Beauty is like remembrance, cast_  
_From Time long past._

Niklaus wiped the sweat away and heaved a sigh. It had been another day of hard work, yet there was no chance for him to take a break.

Every morning, he had to get up before sunrise, walking all the way into the deep forest. That's when the grass was wet with dew, and he had to collect it before it's evaporated by the sun. It was after that that his main work for the day officially started. Being one of the strongest young men in the village, Niklaus could not edge away from his duty of chopping down trees to provide people firewood. Just like Elijah always liked to say: _with great power, comes great responsibility_.

He woke up even earlier than usual this morning, because his big plan was finally beginning to take shape, even though there were still a few details needed to be perfect.

The young boy gently pushed the door open and walked outside. The morning air was infused with something very nice, something quite fresh, something that was able to put a smile on his face. Although the sun still hadn't shown itself yet, he took a deep breath then headed to the forest in the dusky light, with all the tools that would come in handy.

When he almost entered the woods, Mikael suddenly made his appearance from aside. The young boy came to a halt at the sight of the elder man, only to see his father walk past him as if he was not there. _Wonderful_. Gradually a wry smile settled on his face as he continued on his way. _What else could he expect?_ Mikael had been such cold and distant ever since Niklaus could remember. At first, he thought that was just what his father was like, everyone deserved to have his own personality and attitude, and he was supposed to understand that. But as time went on, as he had grown into a quite mature young man, he finally realized there was something more, or to be more exact, something wrong. Of all the people in their lives, family or simply neighbours, Mikael's attitude appeared to have been designed only for him. Nothing he ever did could impress the strict father, no matter how hard he tried and what success he achieved.

Perhaps Mikael deliberately taught him a lesson, that not everything in this world could be achievable.

Niklaus went on his daily work following the basic routines. Despite how frustrated he had been feeling all these years, he always knew that one day, he would be a man so strong that no one would ever underestimate him, especially his father. He would stand right before the elder man with a conceited smirk, watching the shameful look on his face before generously offered him forgiveness.

_Try to think about something more delightful, Niklaus._ The young boy told himself murmuring. _Something like your big plan. Yes, the big plan. It would become a major success with no doubt._ A bright smile crept into his eyes at the thought of a certain girl. His lady. As long as she was there waiting for him, nothing else could manage to ruin his day. He simply wouldn't allow it.

"Where is Kol?" Niklaus asked his elder brother Finn as he went back to their village with newly cut firewood. That reckless boy was supposed to be here cutting them into pieces, but obviously he was nowhere to be seen.

The silent elder young man only slightly shook his head, indicating that he had no idea about it.

Niklaus sighed heavily before nodding, took the axe from aside while untying his already stained robe, then started to do the work he was not supposed to do. _That boy would pay him back for this._ He cursed at his bad luck on this particular morning. It appeared everyone was in the mood to give him a hard time, yet he had no alternative choice but to obey the rules.

Because he was not qualified enough to fight his own fate, yet.

* * *

**- Part III : Their Awkwardness**

_As a lizard with the shade_  
_Of a trembling leaf,_  
_Thou with sorrow art dismayed;_  
_Even the sighs of grief_  
_Reproach thee, that thou art not near,_  
_And reproach thou wilt not hear._

"Actually, Care. You should be relieved." Rebekah cracked a meaningful smile at the other girl, shot another glance at her elder brother. Noticing the quite confused look on Caroline's face, she simply shook her head with a slight exasperated look. "Now that I've known what you are up to, I may be of great help being his beloved little sister, don't you think?"

"No, Bekah! What do you mean by _what I'm up to_? I'm up to absolutely nothing!" The blonde snapped. Intrigued by that boy as she was, she never wanted them to actually _become_ something. Just standing afar, admiring his charming figure from a distance seemed to be already enough for her. Besides, he already had his girl, and it was not her. "That's exactly why I have not told you about this! I knew you would offer me _help_ but that's actually the least thing I want!"

"But why?" Rebekah was bewildered. "I thought you fancy him."

"I do. I just…" Caroline emitted a frustrated sigh as she placed both her hands upon her blonde hair. "I am not Tatiana Petrova."

The whole room went quiet as that name slipped her lips unconsciously. She had no idea why she just said it out loud. It was not supposed to be like this. It only made her sound like a jealous mean girl who hadn't got her way.

"You see, Bekah. I…" Caroline tried to explain herself, but her words were instantly interrupted by the other blonde.

"I understand."

The two of them stared at each other silently, knowing that they were thinking about the same thing even if neither had said anything. Both Niklaus and Elijah fell for that girl almost as soon as she came to their village. Rebekah never understood why she had such a magical charm, but obviously the two brothers didn't even care about the fact that she had a child with her. A child, she had with someone else, outside wedlock, was like a deadly sin to a woman. But no one ever judged her for it, since she appeared to be quite the elegant lady.

"Well, look at the good side, would you? At least we get to have some fun at the moment." Rebekah winked wickedly.

Caroline only looked back at her with furrowed eyebrows. "Why do you mean?"

But she never got her answer. The younger girl put her forefinger before her red lips, gestured for her friend to be silent, then walked out of the cottage with a stiletto in hand. Caroline instantly followed her outside.

The two of them headed towards the direction of the mountains beneath their village. As they were walking past the topless boys, Caroline couldn't help but notice that Klaus had already finished what he was doing. She could see rivulets of sweat streaming down his cheeks; beading down his magnificent rippling muscles then vanished into his skin. She wondered what it felt like if she ever got to lay her hands there. His chest heaved with every breath, blue veins stood out on his temples out of hard work, and she could hardly manage not to think about what she already had in mind. _This was no good, Caroline. You should not be thinking about this. It's not quite lady-like._ The girl shifted her gaze from that pleasing image, hurried her pace to catch up with her friend.

"Bekah?" The two girls came to a halt as Niklaus' voice sounded from behind. "What are you doing with a knife?"

As Caroline slowly turned around, her eyes widened only to find out how close he was to her all of a sudden. The distance between them was merely a few steps; she could even hear the sound of him breathing if she paid enough attention. It was so relaxing, so… seductive.

"I'm not doing anything bad." His little sister foolishly made a clumsy denial, which only led to obvious self-exposure. _Damn it!_ Rebekah cursed herself silently as her brother gave her a helpless smile. "Fine. We are heading to the caves. Caroline and I." She quickly peeked at her friend, then back at the boy with a gloating smirk. "Do you want to come?"

The other blonde turned around so quick as a reaction to those words that she almost snapped her own neck. How could she offer such invitation? Caroline shook her head within almost invisible extent, but the mischievous girl simply ignored her. "Come on, Nik! You can keep an eye on me if you are such concerned about whether I would behave or not." She pulled him closer by the hem of his robe, pouted her lips.

As the three of them were walking down the hills together, none of them made an effort to break the silence. Rebekah was simply gloating, seeing how awkward Caroline was and how careless her brother was proved to be quite the entertaining scene. And Caroline, she could barely keep breathing with the boy she fell for only steps away, surely it would be rather impossible for her to speak. As for Klaus, it didn't even come to his realize that there should be a conversation. He was just being a good brother, escorting his little sister and another girl to the caves, out of both protection and observation.

The cave was right before their eyes, as long as they walked their way down this heavy gradient. Caroline hesitated, not willing to take the first step since there would be a great chance she might trip herself over in front of the boy she had fallen head over heels. _That would not be quite lady-like either._

"Come, sweetheart. Give me your hand." Her eyes widened and her breath shortened once again as her dream lover reached out his hand to her. While the girl was still dumbfounded in shock, Niklaus cracked a rather amused smile looking up at her from the downhill. "Trust me. I will not let you fall."

* * *

Author's Note: _Perhaps you've been wondering why I have re-wrote this fic and re-posted it, that is, if you have already read it before. Well, the not-so-dramatic thing is, I forgot which E-mail I used to sign up that old account, which means I would not get to update it. Since I have to sign up a new account, and since the original fic is just _awfully_ awful, I think it's better to just give it a new look. Anyway, if you've found any mistakes, say spelling or grammar, do let me know so I can right my wrongs! That would be highly appreciated. Last but not least, you fellow readers always seemed to complain about the length of the chapters, do I have a progress on that department already? XD_


	2. Shiver

_Disclaimer: All the Vampire Diaries related characters, places and themes do not belong to me._

* * *

**Chapter Two || Shiver**

_So I look in your direction. But you pay me no attention, do you? I know you don't listen to me. 'Cause you say you see straight through me, don't you?_

* * *

**- Part I : Mutability**

_Who telleth a tale of unspeaking death?_  
_Who lifteth the veil of what is to come?_  
_Who painteth the shadows that are beneath_  
_The wide-winding caves of the people tomb?_  
_Or uniteth the hopes of what shall be_  
_With the fears and the love for that which we see?_

She had imagined what the first words he ever said to her would be. Perhaps he would ask her where his sister was when that mischievous girl was nowhere to be seen; perhaps they would come across each other in the woods and start a random conversation just to kill time; or, perhaps one day he would realize what a mature woman she had grown into and find a special interest in her. Yet it actually turned out to be none of the above. He was simply being a gentleman, who made a promise he wouldn't even remember later that he would never let her fall. Well, _never_ was more like her later addition.

Caroline was utterly bewildered. Instead of taking the hand he had reached out to her, the blonde just stood there, staring at his long slender fingers with widened eyes as if she had never seen such thing in her life before.

Rebekah couldn't help but let out a chuckle.

"What's wrong?" Niklaus glanced over his shoulder at his little sister, quite confused by the behaviours of the two girls. He did not withdraw his hand, even if he had the strong feeling that those two were hiding something from him, perhaps it was even _about_ him.

Caroline's breathing became quick and uneven. She shot an angry glare at the other girl when Niklaus was not paying attention, then formed a stiff smile on her face. "Nothing, really." She took the hand before her after hesitating for another brief moment. "Bekah's laughing at me only because I appear to be such a coward." She never dared to look into his bright blue eyes again; those eyes always seemed to see right through her, straight to her heart, although that would most likely be another one of her illusion. His hand was warm and rough, covered in a few calluses because of hard work. Yet it was just like what she had imagined. Her heart jumped when their fingers touched as she felt a current running through her whole body with his gaze on her. He was looking at _her_, holding _her_ hand, offering _her_ his help and protection. She almost felt like the most blessed girl in the whole world.

But then he let it go.

It happened even faster than she had expected. As soon as she stepped on the flat ground, he couldn't wait another moment before letting go of her hand, as if there was nothing more than just a courtesy. Obviously it was just her being under the hallucination that he would consider her as someone special. The harsh reality just fetched her a terrific slap in the face.

"Where did you get that dagger?" Niklaus' voice sounded as he was looking down at Rebekah's hand. His keen eyes soon noticed that it didn't belong to any member of their family, or anyone else he was familiar with. There was a family totem on the knife handle, which most likely would make the dagger invaluable and priceless. But how on earth could Rebekah obtain it?

The two girls exchanged a quick look with each other, which made them appear to be utterly nervous and suspicious. Niklaus frowned, yet chose to remain silence.

"Elijah gave it to me." Said Rebekah, looking away from her elder brother. "Now can we please focus on the real deal? It's getting dark."

The three of them entered the cave without a further conversation, but the atmosphere somehow wasn't that awkward as before. Caroline hid a smile as she followed the siblings, finally feeling like she was part of this family after almost five years. Even though everyone kept being nice to her, their politeness also equaled distance. She was more like a permanent guest other than a family member, and even if she had been reminding herself not to have any expectation, it still got more and more depressing every day. It was like standing outside their circle, watching them share inside secrets although everyone greeted her with warm smiles.

She was so sick of being kept outside.

"I shall put my name on top, simply because I'm _that_ important." Rebekah went with a quick, steady trot through the dusky aisle while the other two had to jog to keep up with her. She stopped right in front of a wall, examined it carefully to find a perfect spot that would make her satisfied. "I suppose this will do just fine." Her mouth was drawn back into a smirk of triumph as she went forward to carve something with the knife.

Niklaus shot a quick glance at Caroline, who lowered her head as soon as she detected his gaze, then back at his little sister. "What's your genius plan, Bekah? Forbidding other villagers to enter your territory like some wild animals?"

Rebekah responded with a roll in her eyes, though she didn't turn around and show it. "Don't be ridiculous, Nik, like that would ever work with those people with no cultivation." She swallowed to hide the disdain in her tone, not quite successful. "Life is so short; obviously even shorter for us since we are living among monstrous werewolves." She said in a plain voice as the first letter of her name started to take shape. "This is perhaps the only way I can think of to extend our lives after our deaths." She breathed deeply, savouring the silence they let develop among themselves. For a moment, the only sound they could hear was the sharp voice of the knife rupturing against the wall, as if it was a solemn ceremony, or rather a way to pay their respect for their own limited human lives. Rebekah turned around with a bright smile she put on when she managed to scratch her name. "Would you like to do the honour, Care?"

"Me?" The girl answered with widened eyes, pointing her forefinger to herself. "I'm not sure that's a brilliant idea, Bekah." Her breathe shortened as she felt Niklaus' gaze on her once again. "I thought this was supposed to be a family thing."

Rebekah furrowed her eyebrows. It never pleased her every time she heard her friend say something like this, as if every attempt she had been making to make her feel like home ended up being failures. "You _are_ family." She handed the knife to the other blonde with a push in her back. "Now hurry up so we can get back to the village before sunset. You should be quite aware of father's temper."

Caroline stumbled, placed her hand on the cold wall to keep herself balance. It felt like a vivid dream as she carved her name right next to Rebekah's. At that time, she even wished she would never wake up from this fond dream, as long as she could be a part of this strong, united family.

But as they always said, time could easily find its way to slap you right in the face.

* * *

**- Part II : Determination**

_Love, Hope, and Self-esteem, like clouds depart_  
_And come, for some uncertain moments lent._  
_Man were immortal, and omnipotent, _  
_Didst thou, unknown and awful as thou art,_  
_Keep with thy glorious train firm state within his heart._

Niklaus couldn't get those words Rebekah had said out of his mind. As he was lying in his own bed, with both his hands behind the back of his head, he realized for the very first time in his life that he was _supposed_ to die. It's not like he had been living in a fancy bubble with the thought that he could ever be immortal, but the fact never really came to his mind before. He was young, strong, capable of keeping himself and the people he loved safe, at least that was what he thought so far. Death seemed like a billion miles away from him, at least for another few decades.

But now that was the only thought he had for the entire evening. His time was such limited.

The young boy climbed out of his bed as he felt his heart burdened him all of a sudden. He always assumed there would be enough time to do everything he had wished for, to fulfil every plan he made for his future, one thing at a time. Yet, perhaps there would be no future ahead waiting for him. Perhaps the next day would also be his last day. He would never know.

Taking out a small box he had hidden under his bed, Niklaus opened it with slightly shivering fingers. Everything he ever cherished was placed in there. The letters Elijah had written him when the elder boy was away helping their father fighting wars, the bracelet Rebekah had plaited for him out of water grasses, a beautiful stone with a smooth surface that could even reflect light Kol had brought to him as a trophy to show off, and the ring. The ring he made with his bare hands. The ring that took him days and nights to design, to manufacture, to perfecting.

The ring he would use to propose to his girl and see it glittering on her finger afterwards.

He took it out of the box, taking in detail of everything for only he knew for the umpteenth time. It was flawless, shining with bright metallic lustre with a light of brilliant ruby. He had spent days to find the perfect gemstone that could represent her elitist and elegant, then more days to accomplish his work after he finally found it. Yet it still wouldn't satisfy him enough.

He needed to ensure his success about this master plan, perhaps it even had little to do with _her_, just that he would never allow a failure to flaw his life.

Everything would be settled same time tomorrow. He shall either swim, or sink.

* * *

**- Part III : Turn**

_Like a rose embowered_  
_In its own green leaves,_  
_By warm winds deflowered,_  
_Till the scent it gives_  
_Makes faint with too much sweet those heavy-winged thieves._

One of the most confusing yet amazing part about life was, no matter how vulnerable or perhaps miserable you had felt the day before, as long as the sun rose following its daily routine, there was always hope that you could just leave everything behind, anything, without giving it a second thought.

Caroline woke up just before dawn. Dewdrops glistened on the grass in early morning, as she saw Niklaus heading towards the forests through the fog hanging over the fields. Her eyes stranded out her love dearly. If only she could do anything to be of any help. But she was just another weak human girl who could barely take care of herself, how could she ever become _his_ saviour? Even fairy tales never ended up with the princess saving her knight. And she wasn't even his princess.

She had no alternative choice but to accept the reality, even if it only appeared to be a piece of shite.

The day just felt like a whole year to him, even if he had only been doing everything just as usual. Perhaps it had something to do with what he had planned for the evening, well, perhaps it was not even perhaps, it was definitely.

Niklaus had just reached the age to fight shoulder to shoulder with other adult males, and for that, Mikael had given his a sword as the prove. _His_ sword, with _his_ name and their family symbol marked on it, revealing its uniqueness and distinctiveness. He started sharpening it for the third time of the day as all his tasks had completed. That was when he saw Tatia approaching while cracking a warm smile at him.

His heart almost skipped a beat.

But then there was Elijah, coming back from the woods with wet clothes and damp hair. He was also holding his sword, the one that he had already possessed for quite a few years, simply because he was born to this world earlier. Niklaus narrowed his eyes as Tatia shifted her gaze to the other Mikaelson, the one she seemed to have been admiring over the years. She had every reason to.

But Niklaus couldn't manage to think more cautiously. He always had trouble controlling his temper, perhaps he had inherited it from Mikael, but he was even worse than his old man. As insane as it may sound, he had even suspected that there was part of him kept pushing himself to do the things he would regret afterwards, and that part was not even supposed to exist. With no doubt, the grumpy half of him had taken over again at the moment.

"What do you say, Elijah?" He stepped forward, a bit delighted to feel his girl's gaze back on him once again. "You and me, have some fun together?" He remained a casual posture, although his tone suggested that he couldn't be more serious.

Elijah raised his brows as he was quite surprised at first, but realising Tatia was standing a few steps away from them put on an amused smile on his face. He wiped the sweat on his face from earlier training, stared deeply into his younger brother's determined eyes. "I shall consider that as a challenge then."

Caroline and Rebekah were having some girls' time while preparing their supper when excessive banging sounded from a distance that made them concerned about. They soon realised what that was for. It wasn't the first time Niklaus challenged his brother. Perhaps it wouldn't even be the last.

"Come, Care." Rebekah dropped the bowl in her hands the moment they heard the sound. "I knew we could get some entertainment when father is not around."

_They should not be doing this._ Caroline bit her lower lip as worry found its way inside her heart. But she didn't let those words escape her mouth. She was never the thrill seeker like Rebekah, she would never be, at least not when she had no confidence that she wouldn't get caught. Yet after what had happened in the cave the day before, the coward voice that had always been there warning her not to take risks seemed to have disappeared. If their lives were really that limited, if they wouldn't be able to have everything they desired before the final day came, why wouldn't she just enjoy every moment when she still could?

Things were just working up to a climax when they got there. And just as the few times before, Niklaus' conceited smirk appeared when he managed to defeat his elder brother again. Sometimes Caroline wondered, if it's really because how skilled the younger boy was, or it's actually because Elijah cherished the happiness of his brother more than the success of his own. Perhaps it would most likely be the latter reason. That was what family was for, wasn't it? Sacrificing one's own benefit to fulfil another's wishes.

Yet the sound of people's laughter and exchanging pleasantries came to a halt when Mikael and Esther made their appearances together.

They didn't even have to say a single word to make everyone shut up. It was almost like magic.

All of them held their breath when Mikael made his way towards his least favourite son. Caroline couldn't tell whether he was furious or not from the uncertainty on the elder man's face. She almost panicked. Living with this family for all these years made it quite clear to her how the two males didn't have the usual father-son bonding, and it always confused her. It might even confuse themselves as well.

"Some days, it's a miracle you are still alive. Boy." Mikael nearly whispered those words as a warning after he pinned the young boy to the ground. He held Elijah's sword against his other son's neck, tempting to leave a permanent scar there before his conscience and self-control managed to come back. He never understood why everything the boy ever did could just easily piss him off, even though he had all the efforts Niklaus had made in mind, that kind of disdain just seemed to have been lying in his blood. It didn't make any sense. Mikael let go of the terrified boy and dropped the sword on the ground. He had to get out of here before that killing rage came back to haunt him once again.

Rebekah was the first to check on Niklaus when their father was out of sight. She knew perhaps there was nothing she could do to comfort him, but she was willing to spend all eternity keeping him company, showing him that she would always and forever be there for him through any difficulty they might come across.

"Caroline." The sudden sound of Esther's voice made everyone's body stiffened again. As Caroline rested her gaze on the witch while all the others fixating their gazes on the blonde girl, Esther turned around with a slight nod, leaving a few cold words behind. "Come with me."

A billion possibilities flashed momentarily through her mind. What could the powerful witch possibly want from a normal human girl? She basically knew nothing but how to do their laundry or prepare dinner. Why would Esther specifically want to talk to _her_? Perhaps she wanted her to leave; perhaps they had gotten tired of raising another child that had no relation to them. After all, Esther only said no more than ten sentences to her during all five years. Perhaps her very existence had finally provoked the unsympathetic lady's endurance limit.

At that moment, Caroline could never imagine what her answer would be later when she came back to her cottage and Rebekah asked her about what had happened out of curiosity.

"What did mother have to say to you?" Asked the girl, raising her head inquiringly.

With dreadful breathing, shivering body and widened eyes, Caroline only found her voice come back to her after a long moment that felt like forever. "I'm doomed, Bekah." Her words seemed unnaturally loud, her voice shrill and raucous. "She asked me to marry your brother."

* * *

_Please read and review, that is, if you've appreciated an author's efforts. Thank you._


	3. Speed of Sound

Disclaimer: _All the Vampire Diaries related characters, places and themes do not belong to me._

Author's Note:

_Thank you so much, _Justine_, for your constant support on this story! It really has given me a bit confidence that perhaps this fic isn't as awful as I think. And to answer your question, sadly he still had no feelings for her yet, basically 'cause he never paid much attention to her, you know, since she's pretty much in the 'my sister's little girlfriend' zone. But instead of 'totally in love' as you were saying, I'd rather prefer the term 'had a crush on', at least that's _my_ version of Klatia's relationship. lol. You shall get to see which brother it is in this chapter, although I never assume it to be any surprise... XD And I'll keep that 'kicking Mikael's ass' idea in mind! It wouldn't be too difficult for our Miss Inappropriate. ;)_

_And for that dear guest who hasn't left your name, I shall not disappoint you since you've (_begged) _asked such genuinely. It's always a good thing to differ from the original version, so thanks so much for offering me this brilliant advice! But perhaps she would give in after that particular someone has made some efforts? :)_

_Last but obviously not least, special thanks to _Likes-The-Emphatic-Boom, ibom4002, nicaha23, SabbyDeeKnowles, clangwee, RachelAnneGrey_ and _ldyaisling_ for reviewing the first two chapters. You guys have rocked my world! 3_

_Also, if there are any readers from the States, I hope you all manage to survive the storm! Best wishes and please lock yourselves at home. XD_

* * *

**Chapter Three || Speed of Sound**

_How long before I get in, before it starts, before I begin? How long before we decide, before I know what it feels like?_

* * *

**Part I : Unanticipated Request**

_Virtue, how frail it is!_  
_Friendship how rare!_  
_Love, how it sells poor bliss_  
_For proud despair!_  
_But we, though soon they fall,_  
_Survive their joy, and all_  
_Which ours we call._

There followed a brief silence.

Rebekah was staring at Caroline with stunned eyes, her mouth shaped into a dramatic O as the unpredicted information gradually sank in her thoughts. Her mind was fast functioning, billions of questions came to her like a flood yet she couldn't be sure if it was really the best moment to bring them up. Her friend must be even more shocked than she was, being the protagonist sometimes would only bring burdens and pressure, perhaps the best thing for the girl would be leaving her with complete silence, which utterly equalled support under such circumstances. Rebekah waited, observed, resting her hand on the back of Caroline's to give her some strength. She could clearly hear the sound of their ragged breathing echoing in the hollow room, as if they were just back from a long run.

"You are not curious at all?" Caroline whispered while staring at her bare hands.

Rebekah's breath shortened as the other girl's voice sounded when she was least prepared. "Of course I'm... confused, as to which one of my brothers you were referring to?" She carefully examined Caroline's dimmed green eyes, quite relieved to find out her words hadn't upset the blonde more.

Caroline lowered her head and uttered a deep sigh. "Which one do you have in mind?" Gradually, a wry smile settled on her face as her mind wandered back to several minutes earlier, when she followed Esther into that hut she wished she would never step in again.

xox

_How could things be even more awkward than she had expected? How was that even possible? There was actually something worse than the worst? Caroline shifted nervously but mainly uncomfortably when she stood a few steps away from Esther, waiting for the elder woman to explain her intentions. Honestly, she didn't have a single clue as to why the usual indifferent lady suddenly demonstrated she would want a word with her. It was unlikely, perhaps even impossible. And as they were both in a private space, with no one around to distract or disturb them, the long silence only made everything more suspicious. If only she could find an effective way out of there, Caroline was willing to bury her head in the sand like an awkward ostrich._

"_Please, my dear, take a seat." Esther made a gesture to a wooden chair right beside Caroline before she sat down in another one. Her glittering eyes fell upon the young girl, meaningful yet as hard as chilled steel. _

_Caroline simply responded with a gentle nod, followed the elder woman's order. She thought this would be the start of their conversation, whatever it would be, but Esther proved her wrong once again by suddenly closing her icy eyes._

_The girl was utterly bewildered. What was all this for? She only came here to watch someone meditating? She waited for another brief moment, yet there was still no sign as to how she should be reacting in such situation. She chewed her lower lip, her fingers anxiously started tapping on her lap as she switched her gaze around the room. It was where Esther and Ayana did their magic tricks. Grimoires covered by unknown symbols were placed almost everywhere around them, on the wooden shelves, the laboratory bench, some were even lying on the ground wide open. It seemed like they were looking for a certain spell or something, but perhaps Lady Luck hadn't favoured them yet. Her eyes then fell upon the peaceful woman a few steps ahead of her, since she only dared to take a better look when those sharp eyes were not staring back. What was she thinking? Was she considering the best way to inform her of whatever news? Or, she actually wasn't thinking about anything that she simply wanted to establish her credibility? Either way, Caroline was already intrigued as to what possible experiences could have built such an elegant yet distant lady. Perhaps something not quite lovely, her subconscious whispered._

"_I suppose you've been wondering why I asked you to come, is that correct?" Esther's eyes opened, and they stared right into Caroline's. A little amusement appeared as she noticed how panic the girl appeared to be._

_Caroline stuttered. "Y... yes, I have."_

_The elder woman didn't draw back her gaze as usual this time. She somehow found the blonde girl's expression quite the entertaining scene to watch. As her hands folded with her head a little on the right side, Esther spoke in a rather forceful voice. "I do not prefer to make oblique references, truth be told. And since we've been living together for such a long period, I assume we could just come straight to the point, shall we?" She gave a faint smile as Caroline nodded with widened eyes. The witch secretly took a deep breath without anyone else's notice. Her voice still appeared to be as strong as ever. "It would be a great honour if you agree to marry my son." Little wrinkles gathered on her forehead as she raised her eyebrows making her request. "Niklaus, to be more exact."_

_And there was the moment when Caroline felt her heart in her mouth._

xox

"Niklaus?" Rebekah repeated the name she just heard her friend saying, her voice incredulous. "Nik? The one you are desperate in love with?" Her mouth wide open, her eyes searching for further evidence in Caroline's eyes. "Mother has really asked you to marry Nik? Not Elijah, not Finn, not Kol..." She made a dramatic pause as if her disbelief wasn't already obvious enough. "Nik?"

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Yes, Bekah. Nik. Not the other brothers of yours. How many times shall I repeat this to you?" She slumped her shoulders with a sigh. "And just to be clear, I'm not _desperate_ in love with him, alright? I simply take a fancy to him. And there _is_ a difference."

Rebekah emerged an amused smirk. "Fine. You take a fancy, as long as that would make you feel less _desperate_."

"Say that word again I shall pee on everything you cherish." Caroline snapped, despite how empty her threat sounded like.

"You can't, Care, because that would include _you_ as well."

They stared at each other with straight faces, but seconds later both of them burst into laughter. You see, this was the beauty of a genuine friendship. It was capable enough to drag you out of your frustration or sorrow, even if it's just for an utterly short moment.

"But honestly, Care." Rebekah put on her serious face as reality came back to her. "What did you say to mother afterwards? Did you agree?"

Concern found its way back to haunt the blonde as she made a vain effort to look less troubled. "I'm still not sure if I've made the right choice." She said with a self-deprecating smile. "It appears I always make the wrong decisions, say the wrong things. I'm such inappropriate."

xox

_She could even hear her own heart beating in the quietness surrounding them. How could a heart beat so fast without ripping itself out of her chest? She thought she had heard the words wrong, but as they kept echoing and echoing inside her mind, there was not a chance she could avoid them. She heard Esther saying something else to her, something that was perhaps quite important. But it felt like she had been buried in the sea, gasping for breath while the words that ever reached her ears didn't make any sense. She was drowning, and her soul seemed to have left her body, the only thing she could manage to do at the moment was inhaling, then exhaling. And that was the only evidence to prove she was still alive. _

"_Are you alright, dear?" Esther said in a louder voice. "I'm quite aware that this is rather shocking news, but I really do hope you are able to cope with it."_

Cope with it? _Caroline's mouth almost twisted in a contemptuous sneer. Did this woman really expect her to just accept the plan with no objection? Just because they had raised her for all five years, that meant she had to do anything they wished no matter it was out of her own free will or not? Well, the fact was, she might appear to be delicate and powerless, but no one could make the decisions _for_ her when she was utterly determined. _

_Her courage came back to her as Caroline looked up at the elder woman. "I'm sorry, Mrs Mikaelson, but I'm afraid I can't agree to this offer." She tried her best not to blink, in case Esther would take that as a sign of weakness._

_The witch regarded the young girl with an obscure look, as if she wasn't surprised at her answer at all. After a brief moment, when Caroline started to wonder whether she could still hold on to her brave self for anytime longer, Esther lowered her head while cracking a meaningful smile. "Of course you should take some time to carefully considerate, dear. Marriage is the most important deal to a girl, isn't it? But I do hope… that you would eventually make the right choice, or else everyone, including yourself, would be quite disappointed." She gestured to the direction of the door with her eyes, implying that the young blonde could be dismissed._

_Caroline took a deep breath to calm her racing pulse and heartbeat, then stood up from the wooden chair she was sitting in. When she almost stepped out of the cottage, a question that had been bothering her ever since she walked in the door eventually escaped her lips. "But why me?" She whispered in a low voice that both of them could hear clearly. "Why did you choose me of all those other girls? I honestly don't see what could possibly make me such special." She slowly turned around, staring into Esther's dazzling eyes. "Why not… Tatia?"_

_The witch gave a little chuckle at her forthrightness as the brunette's name was mentioned. "I believe this has nothing to do with anyone else, Caroline." She stated with a smirk, which seemed surprisingly similar to the one that was usually on Niklaus' face. "Perhaps I've seen the _quality_ in you."_

_xox_

"And that's it? You simply turned mother's offer down? How dare you?" Rebekah snapped out of shock. She had never found the courage to challenge her own mother's authority before, nor had any of her brothers. Esther was never one of those gentle parents who would greet her children with a mild smile, and being the unrelated member in this family, Caroline of all of them should have been aware of that. But she actually did something none of them had the guts to do, and even got out of there alive. "Do you have a death wish?"

The blonde smiled weakly. "Honestly, Bekah, she wasn't as intimidating as we thought."

"Are we talking about the same person here? 'Cause I'm really getting more and more confused by your description." Rebekah was silent for a moment. Her mind was still processing the amount of information she just heard. "But why did you say no anyway? I thought that was what you always wanted, wasn't it? To be with the man you fancy?"

"I'm sure you can understand that." Caroline responded, her voice deep and husky. "There's not a single chance I would marry someone who obviously don't fancy me back." She felt confidence back in her dancing green eyes as she announced. "I suppose I deserve much better than that."

* * *

**Part II : Unplanned Inspiration**

_We look before and after,_  
_And pine for what is not:_  
_Our sincerest laughter_  
_With some pain is fraught_  
_Our sweetest songs are those that tell of saddest thought._

Niklaus had never been humiliated as such in his entire life. True, Mikael never favoured him ever since he could remember, but that grumpy old man never intentionally confronted him in front of others as well. He thought that was the bottom line. No matter how much they loathed each other, they would still respect one another as mature, responsible men. But it turned out he had assumed wrong.

He didn't give the least damn about all those other villagers, but he was pinned to the ground and threatened as a fragile rabbit in front of the girl he took a fancy to, the one he was going to propose to.

_So much for trying to impress her._ The only impression she would get was how coward and weak he was. Of course everything had to fall apart when he thought he could achieve anything. Life never favoured him either.

Niklaus raised his hand to where the sword had been on his neck. There was a streak of blood there, slight enough that it had already healed, leaving an indistinct scar as a shameful mark. Perhaps it would disappear in another few days, as if it had never existed in the first place. Yet the invisible scar his father had left on his heart, his already wounded heart, could never be healed in another thousand years, if he could ever manage to live that long. But he was used to it, used to how his efforts always ended up in vain, used to being treated as an outsider in this family, even though he never understood why. He truly had done nothing unforgivable, except for a few pranks boy his age naturally enjoyed. Could that be the reason? Perhaps Mikael was sick of seeing him behaving like a childish boy instead of a grown man? As if he didn't deserve to have any fond childhood memories? That wasn't fair, yet obviously no one cared.

Even so, he wouldn't just stop being himself because his parents had other expectation for him. An ambitious young man deserved to have his own hopes and dreams, no matter how unrealistic they seemed to others.

He suddenly made up his mind.

If he had decided to do things _his_ way, why in God's name wouldn't he start from this very moment? Even if his girl might be quite disappointed in him because of the earlier event, Niklaus was still utterly confident that his master plan could turn into a remarkable success. He deserved it, he had earned it himself. And he would accomplish it tonight.

It's already getting dark outside when he grabbed the little box and walked out his hut. His palms were exuding sweat as he held on to the box tight. Suddenly there was a dull pain in his stomach, which he could be absolutely sure that it was actually called nervousness. He had never done such thing before, nor had he ever witnessed someone else doing it. Everything was just so fresh and strange, and he couldn't wipe that twisted smile off of his face. His attempt to be gentler actually made him quite look like a serial killer, if only he could see it for himself.

_Why the bloody hell must she lived such far away from him?_ Niklaus almost felt he was about to pass out as he travelled through half of the village. There. He saw it. Just another few steps and he could see her face again. But somehow, a low voice in his mind whispered for him to stop, warning him that he would regret such reckless behaviour afterwards. It was his subconscious.

"Nik?"

The nervous young boy came to halt as someone called out his name. His neck and back were so stiffened that he couldn't even manage to turn around and look. But clearly he didn't have to. Rebekah's curious face appeared right before him as the girl stepped in front of him.

"Bekah." He let out a relieved sigh realising it wasn't the brunette he was expecting to see. "What are you doing on the other side of the village?" His eyebrows furrowed as the very existence of his little sister made him relaxed a bit. "I don't suppose you have any friends around here… do you?"

"I was just… wandering around." The girl avoided eye contact with him, put on an _obvious_ forced smile. "You know how boring things are these days, luckily the full moon is just around the corner." She shrugged and acted as careless as she could fake, yet Niklaus was never the one to easily be fooled. "What are _you_ doing here then?" Her eyes fell upon the small box her brother was holding in hand as he failed to hide it. "What's that?" Rebekah lifted her eyes inquiringly to his.

It was only after careful consideration that the young man put forward what he had mapped out for the evening. He gazed at the blonde girl with the most serious look one could think of. "This is just between you and me, Bekah, I'm only telling you this because I completely trust you." He waited a short moment to let those words sink in, and let the girl realise this was no joke whatsoever. "I'm going to propose to Tatia tonight."


	4. Life for Rent

_Disclaimer: All the Vampire Diaries related characters, places and themes do not belong to me._

_Author's Note: _

_Thank you for the trillionth time, _Justine_, it's almost become a tradition for me to wait for your review after updating every chapter, and it always makes me so excited and grateful! Well, my original plan was for Klaus to propose to Tatia, but since you've asked… I suppose that part could remain debatable. And yes! Poor Bekah, stuck in the middle of them, and they were both so important to her… especially when I think about how she's daggered by Klaus again in the show… Ugh, why can't they just give her a break?! Let's just say, your words have totally given me some serious inspiration! And I'm not just saying it! But please allow me to keep a low profile for now; we shall see what happens when we get to that point. ;)_

_Thanks for sharing your opinions with me, _Nicole_! Your critical comments are highly appreciated! Though it has confused me a little bit when you stated how I 'have many useless details' and I 'only focus on things that don't matter'. Could you be more specific, perhaps? Which parts do you think should not be mentioned in the story? I believe I've only written them because they were actually needed, but perhaps you've shared a different opinion? Also, I suppose _life_ is full of useless details, but these details are exactly what make life worth living for, don't you think? :)_

_Finally, special thanks to _SabbyDeeKnowles_, _Likes-The-Emphatic-Boom_, _LightFiction_, _RachelAnneGrey_, _TopazDragon, I Love All Books TVD Klaroline and CeceVolume_ for reviewing the last chapter! My apologies for keeping you waiting so long this time, but we all know how fucked up real life could be sometimes. :'(_

* * *

**Chapter Four || Life for Rent**

_I haven't ever really found a place that I call home. I never stick around quite long enough to make it. While my heart is a shield and I won't let it down. While I am so afraid to fail so I won't even try._

* * *

**Part I : Guilt Trip**

_One feeling too falsely disdained_  
_For thee to disdain it;_  
_One hope is too like despair_  
_For prudence to smother_

They always said that a lost chance would never return, so we should seize every opportunity when we still could. But they also said that misfortune might be a blessing in disguise. Rebekah had been racking her brain for quite a long moment, wondering whether she should intervene in what appeared to have nothing to do with her, but then the fact struck her. She might seem to be kept out of the affair, but everyone involved meant the world to her. She could never walk away from this complexity, she wouldn't allow herself to.

"You are going to what?" She heard herself asking, the voice sounded like it was from another universe a thousand light years away.

Niklaus raised his eyebrows in surprise. His younger sister seldom paid little attention to his words, unless she was just utterly shocked by his previous decision. "Make a proposal." He simply reminded her.

"To whom?" She still seemed as bewildered as before.

The young man inhaled deeply, trying to suppress his sudden feeling of impatience. "Tatia, of course." He rolled his eyes, started to think this was a waste of time breaking the news to her. "Who else would it be?"

"But mother…" Those words slipped Rebekah's lips when she suddenly realised she should not be the one spilling the beans. She stopped and bit her lower lips; anyone with a proper vision could notice how suspicious she appeared to be.

"What about mother?" Niklaus narrowed his eyes, not willing to miss out any detail on the girl's stiffened face.

"Nothing peculiar." The blonde girl quickly explained, her eyes shifting everywhere except for looking into his. "Just that… mother wouldn't be pleased with you making such reckless decision without letting any of us know first."

"Well, I shall just deal with her rage afterwards."

The boy tilted his head to one side, showing it clearly that nothing else other than the plan he made for the evening would be taken into consideration at the moment. He already had everything under control; there simply was no turning back at this point. With an affectionate pat on her arm, Niklaus walked past the girl, heading towards the cottage a few steps ahead of them, the very place where everything could start all over again.

"Wait, Nik!" Rebekah took her brother by the wrist in utter desperation. "You cannot go in there."

"Why not?"

She stuttered, circling around with the engorged thoughts lingering in her head, searching for one excellent excuse she could actually come up with. "Because… she's not alone." Watching his expression as her words sank in his head, the blonde girl instantly added. "Elijah was in there when I was passing through the open curtain. They seemed to be sharing something quite… delightful." Rebekah forced herself to look straight into those blue eyes of his, so that he wouldn't notice how remorse she actually was. It wasn't the first time she ever lied to him, yet those trivial matters could apparently be negligible compared to this.

"Elijah…" The bright smirk on his face slowly faded into a bleak one. But for the guilty conscience that kept the girl from observing meticulously, she would have noticed how firm Niklaus was clenching his fist on the little box and how his knuckles were already whitened. "Of course he would be there." His expression at the moment was particularly sour. "They always have so much to talk about, do they not?"

"Look." Rebekah forced an artificial smile, wanted to make up to her _evilness_ earlier. "Perhaps now is not the perfect time." She gently rubbed the back of his hand, hoping it would be of any consolation. "You can always do that later, don't you? It's not like there wouldn't be another chance, right?"

Niklaus put the box back into his pocket, started walking the opposite direction with his body even more stiffened. "Perhaps there never is any chance."

She deserved to rot in hell for what she just did to the brother who had always been looking out for her. Rebekah stood where the conversation took place quite some moments ago, unable to make a single move. It felt like her heart was just torn out and shredded into trillion pieces, yet all she could do was helplessly watching as people stamp on it. Shivering because of the sudden cold that attacked her, a memory she had a great chance to be regretful of reappeared as vivid pictures.

"_Hello?" Rebekah whisked the curtain aside as a delicate room came into her sight for the very first time. Nevertheless, it was not her intention to appreciate the classical decoration; she came here with curiosity, with the determination to get answers for all her questions, which indicated that she should focus on the priority first. "Is anyone here?" Her voice was rather intense. After all, anyone would be such nervous burdened with the same task as hers._

"_Rebekah." A brunette made her appearance from the back of a bookshelf, her eyes shined out of amazement. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"_

_The blonde didn't look away from that bright gaze, even if her inner self was already gasping for air in awkwardness. "I suppose we've never had the opportunity to start a real conversation before." Her fingers were anxiously tapping on the outside of her thighs. "And truth be told, I've found you rather mysterious and interesting."_

_The brunette responded with a widened smile. "How so?"_

"_It's quite rare to see two of my brothers falling for the same girl, especially when they are actually the intelligent ones." Rebekah stated tentatively. _

"_That's what I expected." Tatia raised her eyebrows a bit. "Honestly, I cannot think of any other reason for you to be here." Her smile faded gradually when she appeared to be deep in thoughts. "If you have issues with my _relationship_ with your brothers, then please just enlighten me, what do you expect me to do?"_

"_I'm not asking you to leave them alone, if that's what you were implying." The blonde quickly explained. As much as she didn't want to see anyone get in the middle of her beloved brothers, it wouldn't be fair to make any decision _for_ them, she was utterly aware of it. "Your true feeling for them, that's what brings me here."_

"_So you want to know if I would choose one of them."_

"_That is correct." _

"_I don't believe I'm qualified enough to make a choice, actually." Tatia made a faint attempt at a smile. "An unmarried woman with a little child. Who would ever want to truly accept us?" Her face bore the stamp of suffering even if she was only two years older than Rebekah. "You don't have to worry about this, darling. I suppose I'm better off alone anyway." Just when the blonde thought she had the obligation to ease her sadness, the brunette flashed a sweet smile as if she wasn't all desperate just a moment ago. "Besides, I've never really believed in love. Why need a man when I'm capable of taking care of myself, am I right?"_

If Tatia was the kind of woman that intentionally enjoyed messing around with two siblings, perhaps Rebekah wouldn't feel such helpless ever since she left the hut. She was expecting a more stubborn girl, someone who would insist on giving both her brothers hope, letting them believe they always had a chance with her, but Tatia turned out to be nothing like that. Rebekah didn't know what happened to the girl that had made her cease to believe in love, but she couldn't help but feel sorry for her, and for the little child.

She should have stayed out of this mess, yet when she finally realised it, it was already too late.

* * *

**Part II : A Hard-Won Moment**

_And o'er the vast cope of bending heaven_  
_All ghastly-visaged clouds did sweep;_  
_And the Lady ever looked to spy_  
_If the golden sun shone forth on high._

He had never felt such vulnerable before. Perhaps this was just one of the many disadvantages for being human; having his own emotions controlling his heart, when all that he could do was get along with it. One minute he thought he was going to be the most fortunate man in the whole world, the next he almost lost every hope and dream completely. If only there was a switch, for him to turn off his humanity, then he wouldn't be such weak and fragile anymore.

Yet he knew that was beyond impossible. That kind of thing only existed in fairy tales, or horror stories, definitely not in reality.

Before he noticed, a fine lake came into view. It was where he usually enjoyed a fancy swim, or the perfect location to do some serious thinking with all the quietness around. But this time, to his great surprise, someone was already sitting on the lakefront, hanging her head and shoulders.

It was that girl who seemed to be always by his little sister's side.

_Caroline, was it?_

The poor young man found himself in a cleft stick. Part of him wanted to give the girl some space, since obviously she didn't come all the way here to be bothered. Yet the other part, was desperate to share all his troubles and miseries with someone, someone who was not that familiar with him, someone who would not make decisions for him but only listen. She seemed like the perfect choice. Well, since he had no idea how familiar she actually was with him.

"You look quite troubled." Niklaus directly took a seat right beside the blonde, turning his head towards her direction. "Is everything alright? Not that I'm spying or anything."

And now she looked terrified. Not surprised, but terrified. As if he was some kind of monster that would rip her heart out and eat it. "Do I intimate you, sweetheart?" He somehow always found her rather amusing, though obviously she never made any effort to be hilarious. "Please do not act like I'm going to murder you right here right now, it actually intimidates _me_."

Caroline grinned with a tinge of embarrassment. She somehow always felt rather embarrassed in front of him. Well, why would she not? He was the most perfect man she could ever think of, along with his flawless figure and manner. But she, she was nothing other a socially awkward normal girl, someone he would never pay much attention to. Yet he was sitting right next to her, talking to her, smiling at her with his eyes only fixating on hers… was this a dream?

"No. You didn't intimidate me." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, her face burning hot in the wind. "I simply was not expecting anyone to show up, you know, it usually was just me and my shadow here."

"So you come here quite often as well, I assume?" He asked. "How come we've never run into each other before?"

_Oh, we have. Several times actually. But I just ran away like a maniac every time I saw you here._ She responded with a shrug, burying those words deeply inside.

"Is everything alright with _you_ then?" She was utterly amazed how she could still be able to speak when she could barely breathe. "Perhaps that's why you came here, wasn't it? To leave all the problems behind?"

He turned to stare at the smooth surface of the lake which had just got disturbed by a light wind. Should he tell her or should he not? Obviously she wouldn't give him any practical suggestions since she was only a young girl at his sister's age, but at least there was someone willing to listen while he rambled, right? "Have you ever… had a crush on someone?"

Her heart jumped when she heard that perhaps-simply-casual question. _Did Rebekah tell him already? No, she wouldn't. At least not without informing her best friend first._ "Why do you ask?" Caroline looked at him perplexedly.

"Would you stop fancying someone when it appears he does not return your feelings?"

She snorted a bitter laugh. "That depends on whether this certain someone is worth waiting for or not."

Niklaus turned to look back at her, his eyes widened as he wasn't really expecting her reply being such serious and philosophical. "What if you are not sure about it?"

"Then he's not worth it." She shot a quick glance at him then looked away, unable to gaze into those knowing blue eyes. "If there's any doubt, then he's not."

"How could you be so certain?"

"Because I know… what it feels like to be sure. If you have to question yourself, perhaps the feeling is not as strong as you think." Her face was grim and set with determination.

Somehow he didn't continue his questions. Perhaps he had found the answer he was looking for, or perhaps he just assumed she wasn't helpful at all. Caroline couldn't tell the difference. Actually, she had always been having a rather difficult time figuring out what was on his mind. He was so used to keeping things only to himself, just like her. And maybe that was part of the reason why she was attracted to him In the first place. Because despite how different they were from each other, how opposite they appeared to be, there was something buried deep that they actually shared. She had noticed it at first sight.

"You are quite special, Caroline." His husky voice interrupted her thoughts all of a sudden. "I would have never expected someone at such a young age that could have such a talent to solve my problems just like that."

A smile began to spread across her face as she slowly lowered her head. "Now you are just flattering me."

"You know I never do such things as flattering someone. I mean, have you met me before?" He poked fun at himself before his mood shifted to seriousness. "Your certain someone would be lucky to have you."

_If only that were true._ She looked down at her bare hands while a faint smile flickered across her lips. Why must he show up at this very moment, when she was almost determined to turn down Esther's offer? That was what she should do, right? An arranged marriage with no affection involved would only turn out to be a disaster. Besides, he would never approve of it, with no doubt. But why did this voice keep telling her to just give in? Now that his faith in his feelings for the Petrova girl was wavering, perhaps she still stood a chance? Or, was it actually this whole marriage thing that had been bothering him?

"I was just wondering…" Caroline said in a whisper, squinting her eyes. "Have you talked to your mother today?"

"My mother?" His eyes narrowed. "Why does everyone keep bringing her up? Well, not exactly everyone, but both you and Bekah. Is there something I need to know?"

"No. Of course not." She stood up from where she was sitting instantly, her eyes blinking rapidly. "Bekah and I just simply have connections. It's like our thing." She dusted off her long dress. "I suppose I shall get back before sunset." That awkward feeling got back to her as he stared at her with that knowing look again.

The young man simply nodded, then turned to gaze at the lake. "It's been nice talking to you, Caroline."

"Likewise."


End file.
